Pompey’s long wait for an FA Cup victory finally came to an end as they saw off Macclesfield to progress to the second round.

It looked like being a comfortable afternoon when Adam McGurk fired them ahead in the opening stages.

But Kristian Dennis took advantage of some sloppy defending to bring the non-league side level soon after.

The Blues created plenty of chances and the winner arrived in first half stoppage-time, with McGurk again on target.

Paul Cook made one enforced change from the side beaten at Notts County in the league the previous week.

With Caolan Lavery not given permission to play by parent club Sheffield Wednesday, Conor Chaplin came in to lead the line.

That meant that recent loan arrival Marc McNulty had to be content with a place among the substitutes.

Before kick-off there was a minute’s silence in memory of former Pompey player and manager Bobby Campbell – who sadly passed away on Friday – as well as all those who have lost their lives in service of their country.

When the game got started it was the hosts – attacking the Fratton End in the first half – who looked more dangerous.

And they broke the deadlock after just three minutes when McGURK collected a fine pass from Kyle Bennett and fired home off the inside of the post.

Brian Murphy got down low to keep out Paul Turnbull’s long-range effort soon after, but most of the action was taking place at the other end of the pitch.

A dangerous cross from Ben Davies had to be cleared behind, while Adam Webster’s header from the resulting corner was comfortably saved by Shwan Jalal.

Chaplin then saw a shot swerve wide before Macclesfield levelled the tie in farcical fashion on 15 minutes.

Murphy took too long to clear when Enda Stevens threw the ball back to him, allowing Dennis to charge him down with the ball ricocheting into the net.

Pompey immediately set about trying to restore their advantage and Gareth Evans’ drive was punched clear by Jalal.

Murphy then atoned for his earlier error with an acrobatic save to deny Danny Whitehead from distance.

The Blues dominated the rest of the first half, however, and Chaplin drilled wide before Andy Halls made a vital interception to stop an unmarked McGurk collecting the ball inside the area.

David Fitzpatrick was then forced to clear Evans’ shot from the line after fine work from Bennett and McGurk down the left.

Pompey continued to pour forward and there were several more half chances as the clock ticked down on the first half.

But they did manage to forge ahead in stoppage-time when Stevens’ cross caused an almighty scramble in the Macclesfield box and McGURK kept his composure to stab home.

Half Time

(2 – 1)

It was the visitors who looked more eager immediately after the interval and Murphy had to be alert to keep out Danny Whitaker’s effort.

Stevens’ clearance then ricocheted off Michael Doyle and fell kindly for Dennis, but his shot flew over the bar.

Pompey carved open their first chance of the half on 56 minutes when Bennett and McGurk showed good perseverance to win possession and Chaplin’s shot was deflected narrowly wide.

Evans and Danny Hollands were unable to test Jalal from long-range as the hosts lacked the attacking threat that had been so evident before the break.

With that in mind, Cook made his first change on 66 minutes, handing McNulty his debut in place of Chaplin.

And a second switch soon followed as the inventive Bennett made way for Kal Naismith down the left.

McNulty looked lively, but was caught offside from Doyle’s pass and then there was no-one to meet his low centre.

The striker probably should have added a third goal on 83 minutes, only to head Evans’ pin-point cross over the bar.

And he then saw his fierce shot beaten away by Jalal after doing well to weave past a couple of challenges.

But it mattered not as the hosts comfortably held on for their first FA Cup win in five years to book their place in Monday night’s second round draw.

Pompey’s long unbeaten away record finally came to an end as Notts County fought from behind to claim all three points at Meadow Lane.

It looked like being a familiar tale for the Blues when Caolan Lavery fired them ahead midway through the first half.

But the Magpies soon levelled through Graham Burke’s fine strike and a second half Alan Sheehan free-kick somehow found its way into the net.

The visitors could feel somewhat hard done by, however, as they contributed plenty to a chance-filled contest.

Paul Cook made two changes from the side that drew with Mansfield at Fratton Park the previous week.

Gareth Evans returned from suspension to take his place wide on the right, while there was also a start for the fully-fit Adam McGurk, with Kal Naismith and Rommy Boco the men to make way.

Before kick-off there was a minute’s silence in memory of all those who have lost their lives in conflict.

When the game got underway it quickly turned into an open affair, with both sides contributing to an entertaining affair.

Pompey came close to breaking the deadlock on seven minutes, but Adam Webster could not quite divert Ben Davies’ corner on target.

The home support were then cheering when former Blues striker Izale McLeod had the ball in the net moments later, although referee Andy Haines had long since blown his whistle for offside.

And the action soon switched back down to the other end of the pitch, where Sheehan was on hand to hack clear after Roy Carroll had slowed down Evans’ drive.

County then enjoyed a spell of possession in Pompey’s half and Brian Murphy denied McLeod before beating away a curling effort from Burke.

But it was the Blues who broke the deadlock on 20 minutes, as LAVERY opened his account for the club.

Kyle Bennett and Enda Stevens combined well down the left and the latter delivered a low cross that Lavery deftly turned into the bottom corner.

They were only ahead for a matter of minutes, however, as a free-kick was cleared as far as Burke, who struck a fine volley into the net from the edge of the box.

Lavery tried to restore the visitors’ advantage on 30 minutes, only to see his low angled drive kept out by Carroll, while Evans was then millimetres away from connecting with Bennett’s dangerous cross.

But it was Webster who went closest to scoring again before the break, surging forward from the halfway line before firing a shot against the inside of the post.

There were half-chances for both sides as the seconds ticked down, with Liam Noble and McGurk both unable to find the target from long-range.

But it took fine headed clearance from Mike Edwards to prevent Lavery from converting Davies’ cross in stoppage-time.

Half Time

(1 – 1)

The second half started in the same way that the first had finished – with both sides keen to get forward.

And the hosts survived when Bennett’s effort cannoned off a defender and was just about kept in play by Carroll.

Then, at the other end, McLeod opted to lay the ball off for Burke rather than shoot, with Danny Hollands gratefully nipping in to intercept.

McGurk was next to go close on 57 minutes, only to see his effort inadvertently blocked by Evans at close range.

Lavery then collected Bennett’s sweeping pass and curled in a shot that Sheehan did well to get in the way of.

Bennett had penalty appeals turned down just past the hour mark after the winger felt he had been tripped in the area, while Evans’ follow-up was deflected into the side netting.

Cook made his first change on 67 minutes, with the tiring McGurk making way for Conor Chaplin.

But the hosts then enjoyed a spell of sustained pressure and won a couple of corners before Murphy had to come charging from his box to clear the danger.

Pompey responded with a second substitution on 76 minutes, as Ben Tollitt made his first league appearance in place of Bennett.

But the hosts were ahead within seconds, with Sheehan’s long-range free-kick – won for a foul on McLeod – evading everyone on its way into the net.

Matt Tubbs was immediately brought on as the shell-shocked Blues went in search of a late leveller.

Notts County held firm at the back for the final few minutes, however, as Pompey were finally vanquished on the road.